Free Will

Crates and Barrels

Jimin never imagined he could be scared of Taehyung. The younger boy is so innocent and sweet that Jimin had wondered at times whether Taehyung even knew that the world is a pretty cruel place.

Clearly Jimin had miscalculated. He'd been so enamored with his happy-go-lucky personality that Jimin had never really looked. Sure, he'd noticed that a few thing's were not quite right, and questioned just what Taehyung's gift really was, but he'd never tried to figure it out.

Jimin became so afraid to ask. So afraid to seem like an outcast, or make it look like something stupid such as gifts affected if he was friends with people. Now he's faced with one of the most dangerous gifts to exist and Jimin is sorely unprepared.

"Don't move." Jin says quietly, his body completely still.

Jimin wants to look at the others, to see if they're doing the same, but he's too afraid that if he turns his head he'll draw Taehyung's attention to them. He doesn't think his heart has ever beat this fast and hard. Distantly, Jimin wonders if Taehyung can hear it in this state.

He tries not to shudder as Taehyung's neck rolls, as if he's loosening it out, and his blood-red eyes gaze at them blankly. One of the guards catches sight of them and lets out a distinctly unmanly squeak. The sound draws Taehyung's attention, causing him to stare at the man expressionlessly.

In burst of movement too fast for the eye to follow, Taehyung as taken the sword of the man who's holding him in place and left him on the ground with a broken arm. He's not dead... yet. Another second later Taehyung is standing in front of the man and running him through with the sword.

A first time.

A second time.

A third time.

He does it again and again and again until blood is pouring out of the man's mouth and pooling all around, sinking into the earth. While he does this the other guards are so shocked they don't even attempt to attack. Instead they stand there, frozen.

Once Taehyung is done with this man he moves to the others, not bothering to spend any time on them. Each time a body hits the ground with a thud Jimin has to control his urge to run. As long as he stays still Taehyung won't attack him.

Finally Taehyung returns to the first man who attacked him, he walks at a pace Jimin would almost call 'sauntering'. When he reaches him he stares down for a solid three minutes, not a muscle in his body moving. When Taehyung lifts his sword to end the poor, babbling guards life, his face is still expressionless and uncaring. He sweeps the blade across the man's neck, effectively beheading him.

Jimin prepares himself for two possible outcomes. Either Taehyung will come to his senses and drop the sword, or he'll attack them. Knowing Tae, if he attacks them and then later wakes up from his daze he would be devastated. Jimin resolves to step in the swords path if Taehyung turns on them. If he's injured it won't kill him. The pain would be better than them all dying and leaving behind a broken Tae.

To Jimin's surprise, Taehyung does neither of these things. Instead he turns towards a pile of crates and barrels that block the entrance to an alleyway. In the moment it takes Taehyung to reach the alley, Jimin questions what he's doing. If Taehyung wanted to leave to attack others, it would make more sense for him to just use the street.

As Taehyung tears the blockade away, his actions begin to make sense. There, previously hidden, were three young, crying children. Jimin can hear Yoongi swear under his breath.

If Taehyung attacks them he'll never forgive himself.

Jimin doesn't hesitate a moment to launch himself forward. "Taehyung!" He cries before the younger can even lift his blade. "Taehyung!"

He turns around, His blank red eyes and expressionless face send shivers down Jimin's spine. Jimin waves his arms around to make sure the attention stays on him.

"C'mon, Tae. Let's play!"

Jimin can practically feel the fear and concern of the others as they watch. He glances over and gives them what he hopes is a reassuring smile. The likelihood that Taehyung will be able to kill him is so miniscule Jimin doesn't even let himself consider it. The likelihood that Taehyung will make him want to die because of pain? Very high.

Jimin doesn't even get a chance to turn back to Taehyung before he feels the sharp edge of the sword pierce his stomach. He tries not to scream, he doesn't want to scare them, but it's been so long since he's been stabbed like this that Jimin can't be sure if he succeeds or not.

Taehyung stabs him more times than Jimin can count. All he can feel is pain. All he can remind himself to do is stay standing until the point of death so that he remains a target. The pain is like nothing he's ever felt before. Even when Jimin was a slave and whipped until no skin remained on his back, or when Jimin was beheaded and had to exist through the night as it grew back, he has never felt pain as all-encompassing as this.

Jimin can't even spare a thought to wonder if that's because it's a product of a gifted person, he's too far gone. Just as he did on the mountain so long ago when he passed out, Jimin wonders if he's actually going to die this time.

Taehyung thrusts his blade in a final time and Jimin's legs fail him, the youngers eyes soften back into their normal brown. In half a second he takes in what he's done, his facial expression too complex and broken for Jimin to even take a guess at it.

Jimin tries to stop himself from slipping into unconsciousness. He tries to call out to Taehyung, tell him not to feel guilty, but he can't even open his mouth.

Jimin is pulled away into what it probably death's arms, he finds himself wishing for the first time that he could live just a little bit longer.